Float-operated circuit-closer



e. w'. WASHINGTON. FLOAT OPERATED CIRCUIT CLOSER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG- I. 19l6.

Patented June 22, 1920.

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I EDF-EEcEF-EF-EEEEEEEEF-EEEF-F-CCF-ECF-EEEC:

GEORGE W. WASHINGTON, OF COLUMBUS,MISS ISSIP PI.

FLOAT-OPERATED CIRCUIT-CLOSER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1920.

Application filed August 1, 1916. Serial No. 112,543.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonen W. WAsHrNG- TON, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, and resident of Columbus, in the county of Lowndesand State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Float-Operated Circuit-Closers, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to signals and particularly to devices for use inconnection with railways and more particularly for use on bridges,trestles and structures which are apt to collapse and effect thetrackage of railways.

An object of this invention is to provide novel means for signaling whenthe depth of water over which the track is supported has risen to thepoint of danger which would menace the support for the track as wherehigh water is present and flowing through a bridge, it being the purposeof the inventor to signal when the water has reached a predeterminedheight or level.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for sendingcurrent to signals at opposite ends of the bridge or guarded structure,or to stations distant from the bridge.

With the foregoing and otherobjects in view, the invention consists inthe details of construction, and in the arrangement and combination ofparts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawings formingpart of this specification wherein likecharacters denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which7 Figure 1 illustrates a view in elevation of a bridge structure with atrack showing the installation of the signal controlling means thereon;

Fig. 2 illustrates a view in elevation of the interior of the signalcontrolling means;

Fig. 3 illustrates a sectional view approximately centrally of thedevice shown in Tn these drawings 7 denotes a bridge structure whichmaybe of ordinary construction,

the same having casings 8 thereon at such height as would be regarded asthe high water-mark, the said casings eachhaving a door 9 with apertures10 therein to admit water.

WVithin the casing is a wire cagell supported by the insulations 12 andthe cage constitutes a conductor of electricity to which one of the leadwires or conductors 13 is connected whereas another conductor or leadwire 14 which is utilized for completing a circuit is connected in anyappropriate way to a pendulum 1 1 which is looselymounted in the saidcage. The lower end of the pendulum 1 1 has a float 15 preferably ahollow metallic ball secured to it so that when Water enters the casing,the ball rises therein to cause the contact shoulder 16 which ispreferably ofv disk form secured in any suitable manner to the pendulumto engage the wires of the cage, thereby establishing an electricalcontact which will complete the circuit to be hereinafter described. p

. The pendulum is supported in the cage by the stem 17 having a head 18of non-conducting material so that undernormal conditions, the pendulummay hang in the cage in position to be actuated under the influence ofthe float.

The pendulum is furthermore so positioned with relation to the cage thatif the bridge should become impaired to the extent that it would lean,be inclined, or break, the I pendulum would come in contact with thewires of the cage and close the circuit.

I claim- A circuit closer comprising a casing, a cage which constitutesone contact, mounted in said casing but insulated therefrom, and ametallic pendulum constituting the other contact, supported from the topof the cage and insulated therefrom, said pendulum being free toswinginto engagement with the cage when thecage is inclined, and a floatconnected to said pendulum for raising the pendulum into engagement withthe cage to establish a circuit GEORGE W. WASHINGTON.

